Luna
I’m still humming with the bliss of orgasm and the satisfaction my wolf feels at being claimed by Axel when I look up and see three hulking shapes standing in the doorway.
“Oh,” I cry, scrambling up right on Ama’s dead body.
Axel sucks in a breath, and I realize he’s still knotted up inside me. “What are you doing here?” I ask the triplets.
“We got worried about you,” Ethan says. “We thought something might have happened to you.”
“And now we can see that something did happen to you. He happened to you.” Warrick steps through the doorway and charges toward us as if he’s going to fight with Axel again. I wince when Axel pulls the swollen base of his cock from me, stepping in front of me to block Warrick’s path.
“Wait,” I cry, leaping to my feet and darting between the two men. “Axel saved my life.”
Warrick halts, eyes the dead wolf, and then turns to us. His gaze sweeps my bruised, battered body, covered with bumps and scrapes. “What happened?” he demands.
“Ama tried to kill me,” I say, rushing my words so he won’t attack. “She wanted Axel and said I was in the way. She tried to kill me, but Axel killed her instead.”
Warrick, Callan, and Ethan all turn to my Alpha, and their eyes shutter. “I see,” says Callan in a monotonous tone. His arms hang limply by his sides. Water drips from his fingertips, continuing its journey from his raincoat.
“When Ama said Axel was hers… I didn’t like it,” I admit. “I like that he defended me. I like having him around.”
“So, you got back together with him,” Ethan says, scowling.
“No, you don’t understand. I like all of you.” I hold out my hands, palms up, beseeching them. Something creamy and warm trickles down the inside of my thigh, tickling my skin.
Ethan’s gaze drops to my legs, then Callan’s, and then Warrick’s. I shift side to side, uncomfortably. “Look,” I say, trying to distract them. “Y’all know how lonely I was with Mama in the swamp. Now that I’m grown, I don’t want that. We can all get along-make each other laugh and make each other dinner and sex each other. What’s the harm in adding one more? Axel invited us all into the pack, and if we’d joined, he would have known I was in trouble from the start today. We can all be mates, can’t we?”
Three sets of jaw drop open, and they stare at me like I’ve grown whiskers or horns in my cheeks.
“What are you saying?” Axel asks.
“I didn’t like the fighting between these brothers, and I don’t like it between you and them, either. I don’t want to cause nobody pain. Let me make it up to you-all of y’all.”
“How are you going to do that?” Callan asks.
“You have no idea what you’re asking us to do, Luna,” Warrick says, looking past me at Axel. “We’ve been hating this asshole for a fucking decade.”
“And how’s that working out for you?” I put my hands on my hips and try to swell up my chest like they do. It must work, because they all drop their gazes to my chest.
Callan lets out a snort, and the barest of smiles curves his lips.
I flash him a smile and then turn back to Warrick. “Who’s it help to be at odds all the time? Axel said you could join the pack. He did his part. Now it’s time for you to do what’s best for your pack of three, too, Daddy.”
“She has a point,” Callan says.
I love him even more for his support.
“I don’t know,” Warrick says, scratching the back of his head. “Old grievances die hard.”
A curious silence fills the room while outside, the storm rages on. Shutters slam against the window frames, the wind sings in the rafters, and rain pours and pours. I step toward the brothers, sidle between Callan and Ethan, and lace my fingers with theirs.
Warrick studies me with an indecipherable expression.
“Let’s all accept each other and get along.” I squeeze Callan’s and Ethan’s warms hands.
“Agreed,” Axel says, straightening and managing to look imposing even though he’s smaller than the other three and not wearing a stitch of clothes. “Let us let the destruction of Ama serve to herald a new day in the Jacksonville pack. And to remind everyone what happens when you hurt Luna.”
He stares down the others, and for once, I understand. He’s telling them they better do what I say, even though I’m the submissive wolf here. Because if they don’t get along, that hurts me, and he’ll hurt whoever does that. He’ll do as I wish, and they better do it, too.
Ethan clears his throat. “Thanks for saving her life, man.” Callan grunts in agreement.
Warrick crosses his beefy arms over his chest.
“You’ve got to quit getting yourself into life and death messes,” Callan says to me.
“I second that,” Ethan says.
Warrick continues to shoot daggers at Axel with his eyes. Axel ignores him.
“Come on, please?” I say, dropping the hands I’ve been holding and clinging to Warrick’s beefy, tattooed bicep. “Let’s just try it. If it doesn’t work, we can try something else. What’s the harm?”
“I’ll try it,” Ethan says behind me. Warrick frowns at him.
“Count me in,” Callan says. “I’m not losing Luna.” Warrick continues to glare.
“I’ll do it on one condition,” Axel says.
“Here we go,” Warrick growls. “I was waiting for some negotiation coming from you, Alpha.”
“I like to be predictable,” Axel says coolly. “What do you want?” Warrick demands.
“I want you,” Axel says, matching Warrick’s stance. “I need a new Second in Command, and I can think of no one finer.”
I stand there blinking in surprise, and everyone else looks just as shocked.
“How much power will I hold?” Warrick says, scratching his scruffy neck.
“Second to only me,” Axel says smoothly. “When I’m not here, whether dead or simply away, you’re in charge.” Axel appears calm and unruffled, and I admire him even more for it.
“Huh,” Warrick says.
“Of course, the pack doesn’t expect a dictator. That won’t fly,” Axel continues. “But you’re a powerful man, Warrick. I believe you can guide with fairness and adherence to rules if given a chance.”
“What do you think, Warrick?” I say, practically wriggling like a wolf pup.
He regards me, and his eyes soften. “Would that make you happy?” he
asks gruffly.
“Would it ever!”
“I’ll do it for you,” he says. “If that’s what you want, baby girl.”
I’m practically glowing as I watch Warrick step toward Axel and shake his hand.
“I accept your offer, starting immediately,” Warrick says.
“Thank you, Warrick,” Axel says, giving his hand a firm shake. “It’ll be an honor to rule the pack with you.”
I whoop for joy, and Ethan picks me up and kisses me hard. I can’t believe we finally did it. We’re all united. Maybe we can all finally have what we want at last.